Thursday, February 7, 2019

Ruff Relief Organic Pet Paw, Nose, and Skin Balm - Review

My adventure dog, Finn, is finding winter conditions to be hard on his sensitive paws. When I rescued him, the pads on Finn's feet were as silky smooth as baby skin. That is because Finn had never been outdoors. Recently, during a walk at the park, Finn stopped moving and started whimpering a bit. After quickly checking his feet, I realized he was communicating discomfort related to an ice ball that had formed between the toes on a front foot. Not long after that incident, Finn let me know that he could not tolerate any small amount of the chemical de-icer that was present on city sidewalks and roads. What to do?

As I considered possible solutions, such as dog booties and paw wax, or hibernating until June, I came across a highly rated organic paw balm called Ruff Relief. The key factor that sold me on this particular pet product had a lot to do with the fact that it is rated at a human grade food level (the first time I have seen that). Given that dogs frequently lick their feet, it was really important to me that anything Finn put in his mouth was natural, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic (along with made in the USA). The fact that Ruff Relief has earned a USDA certification sealed the deal for me.

You may be wondering about the ingredients. That was the first thing I wanted to know. Here they are:

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Organic Coconut Oil

Organic Beeswax

Organic Carnauba Wax

Jojoba Wax

Non-GMO Vitamin E

These natural ingredients are safe to use on paws, noses, and other skin hot spots. Though I think of winter as the toughest time to keep my animals' skin protected, summer presents its own challenges (think burning hot pavement and concrete). Ruff Relief provides year-round protection from ice, snow, and heated surfaces. If your pet ever suffers from cracking, chapped, or dry skin, you may wish to give Ruff Relief a try. There's really no risk given that the company provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee. You have 30 days to test drive this product. If you aren't happy with the results, simply request a full refund.

Since I have just started using this balm on Finn's paws, I'll have to keep you posted about our longer term results. I am fully expecting good outcomes given all of the positive online reviews. Stay tuned for updates.

Before closing, I thought I would share some fun facts I discovered while searching for information about dog feet.

Fritos Feet

What is that corn chip smell?? Why do dogs have feet that smell like Fritos, Cheetos, or popcorn? Actually, that is totally normal. The smell comes from natural bacteria that grow on canine paws (mixed with a dog's unique paw sweat gland odor).

Did You Know?
Some dog breeds, think Greyhounds, Dobermans, and Akitas, have "cat feet" (smaller feet with high arches). These features, along with the lightness of their feet, enhance their endurance.

Pop Quiz
Does your dog have webbed feet? If so, you should ace this quiz. In the comment section, please name a breed of dog with webbing between the toes/pads.

Finally, have you had to treat your pet's feet at certain times of year? If so, what worked well for your four-legged friend?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.

FOLLOW US ON:

About the Author

Renaissance Woman is all about living essentially. For her, that means embracing a lifestyle filled with beauty and wonder. From her off-grid home in the high country of Colorado, RW writes about green living, animal rescue, nature photography, DIY projects, her high adventures, and pursuing your thrive. She may be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

12 comments:

I love organic creams for both animals and pets. Yes their paws and other parts are sensitive to the outdoors. Sometimes we never think about it, but a small pebble in our shoes would hurt us, so it is with them. I'm glad you found a natural way to help Finn and other people's dogs too!

I had never heard Finn express pain, so it broke my heart to hear him react like this. It made me realize how extra vigilant we need to be with animal paws. They are even more sensitive than I had imagined. Anything we can do to provide an effective barrier against chemicals and the elements is an important responsibility of any loving pet guardian.

Glad to hear you found a product that will give Finn's paws protection and relief from irritating substances. I've often wondered what experts with search & rescue dogs use to protect dog's paws in dangerous conditions, but never thought about similar protection needed for family pets in everyday conditions.

I imagine those search and rescue dogs experience quite a few injuries to their feet. I'll bet a good number of those dogs wear special booties made to provide extra protection. I think of all the animals that had terrible burns on their feet as a result of our latest wildfire season. It took months to treat those life-threatening injuries. The pain had to be excruciating.

It is so hard to know when and why our puppies are hurting! I am glad that Finn was able to communicate his need to you. I'll have to pay closer attention to my furbabies. Merlin, who is a Labrador Retriever and yes, has webbed feet, hates the cold of ice and snow on his feet. Our Daisy, who is part Golden Retriever does not have webbed feet even though they are common for a goldie, has never complained about any surface, but as she ages, she may well start experiencing it. I will definitely keep the Ruff Relief in mind for her. Merlin may already need it.

You get an A+ on the quiz. Thanks for playing along. I almost cried when Finn let me know he was hurting. I just can't stand it when any of my animals are sick or in any kind of distress (even minor). Some older dogs and cats, and especially newly rescued dogs, tend to have skin hot spots in areas where they habitually come in contact with hard surfaces. This balm would be very good for those areas they tend to rub raw (typically near their elbows or other joints).

I'm so glad that you and Finn have such a close, loving connection that enables such intuitive communication and allowed you to quickly identify what was causing him pain so you could seek out a solution to relieve it, and also to prevent its recurrence. The balm you selected looks fantastic, based on the ingredients. (I'm tempted to try some on my own dry feet and hands, especially on my perennially cracking heels!) You're such an amazingly loving guardian, and I know that love comes back to you many times over.

When I was a child, I remember my dad using some animal balm on my hand to treat a painful burn. So, if I had cracked skin today, I surely wouldn't mind using this product. As you mentioned, the ingredients are just as good for us as they are for our pets. As for communication, I am so happy that Finn has found his voice, and that he knows how to use it. I remember how quiet he was when first rescued. It takes these shelter animals time to decompress and learn how to ask for what they need (heart to heart).

I wonder how this compares to Bag Balm? Willy has (normally) the most rough and scratchy pads. And both Willy and Daisy have hot spots and sensitive skin. Ruff Relief sounds like a really good option. I think I'll have to give this a try.

You got me wondering also. I took a look at the ingredients in Bag Balm. First, a main ingredient in BB is petrolatum (petroleum jelly). A key point there is that if petrolatum is not completely refined in the United States, it can contain toxic chemicals (it is classified in the EU as a carcinogen). Another difference I noted is that the ingredients in Bag Balm aren't organic. In terms of which balm will work better for your animals, I cannot say. However, I would feel better using a food grade USDA certified product made in the USA. Wishing you all the very best with the health of your precious pets.

Excerpts of Our Policies

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance (COPPA)
We do not solicit nor knowingly collect any information from anyone under 13 years of age.
Complete Privacy Policy

Policies & Legal Pages / Notices

The writers and contributors for Review This! - ReviewThisReviews.com are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

How to Get Your Article Featured on Review This!

Review This has 18 Contributors who are constantly writing reviews on a variety of topics.

If you have an article, a book, movie, song, recipe, product, website, etc., that you would like to see reviewed here, simply submit it for consideration on the contact form below. Our staff writers / contributors will take a look and if possible, we will honor your request.

We invite you to explore our book reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, website reviews, product reviews and reviews of many other great fabulous finds while you are here today.

Thank you for stopping by! Come back to see us soon because you never know what we may be reviewing next.